Trade-in
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 161
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From: NJ
2021 C63S Cabriolet, 2021 GLE53 Coupe, 2022 GT3 Touring, 2021 Taycan Turbo S, 2022 F-150 Lightning
Trade-in
Thinking of trading in my 2002 CLK55 Cabriolet (18800mi, Phone, Nav, CD changer, 4 new Mich Pilot A/S, White/Charcoal, Excellent Cond.) for a new CLK55 Cab or an SL. Does $47000 sound right on a trade? The car is located in NJ. Any feed back would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Jan
Jan
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CLS55 AMG
Here is Black Book value...
Dealers usually offer average...
2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK Class
Base Original MSRP: $79,000
Series: CLK55
Body Style: 2D Cabriolet
Mileage: 18,000
Condition Trade-In Value Retail Value
Extra Clean N/A $60,675
Clean $53,600 $59,750
Average $50,750 $55,150
Rough $41,735 $49,475
2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK Class
Base Original MSRP: $79,000
Series: CLK55
Body Style: 2D Cabriolet
Mileage: 18,000
Condition Trade-In Value Retail Value
Extra Clean N/A $60,675
Clean $53,600 $59,750
Average $50,750 $55,150
Rough $41,735 $49,475
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,619
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From: Georgia
E 63S Wagon Renntech, E55 Renntech, SL65, SL 55 030, ML, bunch of old ones--they come, they go...
I don't think...
white hurts you much, but the general state of the car business in general and the Benz business in particular ain't helping you. If you want to trade in this marketplace, it ain't gonna be pretty....
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 273
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From: Randolph, New Jersey
2002 C32 AMG
Better re-check that number amigo
Improviz - the book $ is in the high 30's no sh^t - I just called a friend to confirm the numbers at my Porsche dealership, I figured I would help you out and get it from the real men who deal with these cars all the time. These cars have dropped like hot rocks. Sorry for the bad news... 
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CLS55 AMG
For **cabs** or coupes??? I got that info from Black Book...
...and I checked it the day that I posted it. Double-check and make sure your friend is quoting you the BB for a cabriolet, not a coupe.
Just to be sure, I entered in the same info for a 2002 white *coupe*. Here's what it gave me for BB value for an '02 with 18K miles:
clean: $43.6K
avg: $40.75K
rough: $32.3K
From what I understand, this info is current...are you sure he's quoting the right year/numbers? I hope not!!
Just to be sure, I entered in the same info for a 2002 white *coupe*. Here's what it gave me for BB value for an '02 with 18K miles:
clean: $43.6K
avg: $40.75K
rough: $32.3K
From what I understand, this info is current...are you sure he's quoting the right year/numbers? I hope not!!
Originally posted by 5439cc
Improviz - the book $ is in the high 30's no sh^t - I just called a friend to confirm the numbers at my Porsche dealership, I figured I would help you out and get it from the real men who deal with these cars all the time. These cars have dropped like hot rocks. Sorry for the bad news...
Improviz - the book $ is in the high 30's no sh^t - I just called a friend to confirm the numbers at my Porsche dealership, I figured I would help you out and get it from the real men who deal with these cars all the time. These cars have dropped like hot rocks. Sorry for the bad news...
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From: Treasure Coast
2018 Mclaren 720s, 2021 Aston Martin DBX
Cabs don't sell too well in the middle of winter, but high 30's is too low.
My CLK (32K miles) was worth 37 to the MB dealer and it would have been going straight to the auctions.
My CLK (32K miles) was worth 37 to the MB dealer and it would have been going straight to the auctions.
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CLS55 AMG
Only one I could find with BB (average condition) trade in in the hi 30's was...
...well, mine. 
For an '01 with 35K miles, they're giving BB trade-in of $37.4K average.
Fortunately, I had learned my lesson on my previous car, and did *not* buy new: I picked mine up one year old with 13K miles in fantastic condition for about $9K below book (at that time)...if I'd bought it brand new, I'd be *steaming* right now.
I think the market is, at least with this car, demonstrating something that I'd noticed when I first looked at it: when you look at the differences between it and the CLK430, $20,000 is pretty difficult to justify for 75 rated horsepower and a few other upgrades with no body panel changes. This was one reason why I waited patiently to find a good value one.
But imo, one reason prices are falling so quickly is that it was about $10K overpriced to start with. And the market seems to agree: I checked the BB average trade in for an '01 CLK430 with 35K miles, and it came back at $30,500, about $7K less than the CLK55 of same year/mileage. This is about 61% of initial list for the CLK430, as compared to 54% for the CLK55.
If they'd have made the body a bit more distinctively different and/or increased the horsepower differential between the CLK430, I don't think prices would be falling quite so quickly.
It would be interesting to compare how other AMG models' resale is holding up compared to the next model down in the lineup (E55 vs. E500/430, etc.)...I'll have a look at this this evening and post the results.
For an '01 with 35K miles, they're giving BB trade-in of $37.4K average. Fortunately, I had learned my lesson on my previous car, and did *not* buy new: I picked mine up one year old with 13K miles in fantastic condition for about $9K below book (at that time)...if I'd bought it brand new, I'd be *steaming* right now.
I think the market is, at least with this car, demonstrating something that I'd noticed when I first looked at it: when you look at the differences between it and the CLK430, $20,000 is pretty difficult to justify for 75 rated horsepower and a few other upgrades with no body panel changes. This was one reason why I waited patiently to find a good value one.
But imo, one reason prices are falling so quickly is that it was about $10K overpriced to start with. And the market seems to agree: I checked the BB average trade in for an '01 CLK430 with 35K miles, and it came back at $30,500, about $7K less than the CLK55 of same year/mileage. This is about 61% of initial list for the CLK430, as compared to 54% for the CLK55.
If they'd have made the body a bit more distinctively different and/or increased the horsepower differential between the CLK430, I don't think prices would be falling quite so quickly.
It would be interesting to compare how other AMG models' resale is holding up compared to the next model down in the lineup (E55 vs. E500/430, etc.)...I'll have a look at this this evening and post the results.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 273
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From: Randolph, New Jersey
2002 C32 AMG
BB numbers are not reall world
BB is not real world number my friends - when a car is traded in, the wholesale value is all they look at. For example when I went to trade in my 02 CLK55 which has every option and in showroom condition they offered only 37K - I went to four other dealerships and the number just got worse. 
So I contact my local MB dealership and spoke to the manager who informed my that the 208 body style took a beating once the 209 was released. he told me the best he could do was 35.8K, needless to say I laughed and considering I only have another 11 months left on the lease, I had a friend take over the payments until the end. I went back to the Porsche dealership and leased my 03 Targa. So to make a long story short, the purchase price of the AMG was in the upper 70's, 18 months later it is worth 37K 33K drop, thank goodness I leased it. Well As I said before it was fun at times while it last, the only problem with the AMG was the fun didn't last too long, but again it's all relative, who know I may get tried of the Porsche, NOT ! 
So I contact my local MB dealership and spoke to the manager who informed my that the 208 body style took a beating once the 209 was released. he told me the best he could do was 35.8K, needless to say I laughed and considering I only have another 11 months left on the lease, I had a friend take over the payments until the end. I went back to the Porsche dealership and leased my 03 Targa. So to make a long story short, the purchase price of the AMG was in the upper 70's, 18 months later it is worth 37K 33K drop, thank goodness I leased it. Well As I said before it was fun at times while it last, the only problem with the AMG was the fun didn't last too long, but again it's all relative, who know I may get tried of the Porsche, NOT !
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Posts: 3,679
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CLS55 AMG
This is Hearst's *Black Book*, not Kelly's "Blue Book*...read on:
I think you're thinking of the Kelly Blue Book, or the NADA Blue Book, which are retail...this is *not* what I'm talking about.
I'm referring to the Hearst Black Book. This is only available to dealers, and actually uses wholesale auction info to compile their prices. Here's their website: It is a subscription-only service, and every car dealer that I've ever dealt with uses this book. It is updated weekly. This, and the Maneheim Auto Auction website, give the most accurate wholesale auto pricing info available.
I first came into acquaintance with this book through contacts in the industry, in high school (a buddy's father owned the local wholesale auto auction, and I hung out there...it was where I learned to detail cars, spot wrecked cars, etc). Trust me, it is very accurate. If you walk into pretty much any dealership, the guys there will have copies of these babies. They're pocket-sized, about as tall as a pack of cigarettes, but not as wide, the pages flip vertically, and they are, in fact, black.
Dealers will normally offer you Black Book average, even if your car is clean!
Sux, but that's what they do. Sounds like to me they even went further and gave you rough...but winter is the worst time to sell a sporty car; nobody's looking for them then. Otoh, it's the best time to buy them!
I'm referring to the Hearst Black Book. This is only available to dealers, and actually uses wholesale auction info to compile their prices. Here's their website: It is a subscription-only service, and every car dealer that I've ever dealt with uses this book. It is updated weekly. This, and the Maneheim Auto Auction website, give the most accurate wholesale auto pricing info available.
I first came into acquaintance with this book through contacts in the industry, in high school (a buddy's father owned the local wholesale auto auction, and I hung out there...it was where I learned to detail cars, spot wrecked cars, etc). Trust me, it is very accurate. If you walk into pretty much any dealership, the guys there will have copies of these babies. They're pocket-sized, about as tall as a pack of cigarettes, but not as wide, the pages flip vertically, and they are, in fact, black.
Dealers will normally offer you Black Book average, even if your car is clean!
Sux, but that's what they do. Sounds like to me they even went further and gave you rough...but winter is the worst time to sell a sporty car; nobody's looking for them then. Otoh, it's the best time to buy them!
Originally posted by 5439cc
BB is not real world number my friends - when a car is traded in, the wholesale value is all they look at. For example when I went to trade in my 02 CLK55 which has every option and in showroom condition they offered only 37K - I went to four other dealerships and the number just got worse. So I contact my local MB dealership and spoke to the manager who informed my that the 208 body style took a beating once the 209 was released. he told me the best he could do was 35.8K, needless to say I laughed and considering I only have another 11 months left on the lease, I had a friend take over the payments until the end. I went back to the Porsche dealership and leased my 03 Targa. So to make a long story short, the purchase price of the AMG was in the upper 70's, 18 months later it is worth 37K 33K drop, thank goodness I leased it. Well As I said before it was fun at times while it last, the only problem with the AMG was the fun didn't last too long, but again it's all relative, who know I may get tried of the Porsche, NOT !
BB is not real world number my friends - when a car is traded in, the wholesale value is all they look at. For example when I went to trade in my 02 CLK55 which has every option and in showroom condition they offered only 37K - I went to four other dealerships and the number just got worse.
So I contact my local MB dealership and spoke to the manager who informed my that the 208 body style took a beating once the 209 was released. he told me the best he could do was 35.8K, needless to say I laughed and considering I only have another 11 months left on the lease, I had a friend take over the payments until the end. I went back to the Porsche dealership and leased my 03 Targa. So to make a long story short, the purchase price of the AMG was in the upper 70's, 18 months later it is worth 37K 33K drop, thank goodness I leased it. Well As I said before it was fun at times while it last, the only problem with the AMG was the fun didn't last too long, but again it's all relative, who know I may get tried of the Porsche, NOT !
Last edited by Improviz; Feb 12, 2004 at 07:11 PM.
